Roof rafter



June 10, 1930. T, SERGENT 1,762,363

' ROOF RAFTER Filed Oct. 17, 1928 Chrome ear FLAY T. SERG-ENT, F EELVIDERE, ILLINOIS Application filed Qctober 17, 1928. Serial No. 313,079.

This invention relates to roof rafters and more particularly to articles or" this character adapted for use in the construction oi? relatlvely small buildings, such as poultry and hog houses.

Une of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a rafter for supporting the roof of structures of this character in which the use oi? posts or other obstructing supports within the building are entirely eliniinatet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rafter of this character of an arch shaped formation arranged with its lower ends adapted to provide an interlocking connection with the floor sill of the building,

the rafter being further constructed in continuous formation whereby toeliniinate the use of uprights in the construction of the building.

A further object of the invention is to provide rafter of this character of: a laminated construction.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elements forming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereo't wherein. like numerals refer to like partsthroughout and in which:

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in elevation of one of the rafters loolting; through the arch formed thereby,

. Figure 2 is an end. elevational view of the inner edge of the rafter and Figure 3 is a fragmentary group perspective of the interlocking ends of the rafter and the floor sill.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, theinvention is illustrated as comprising a roof rafter indicated generally at 5 0t lanai- [nated construction and compose-cl of a series of relatively thin strips 6 secured to each other in superposed relation as clearly illustratcd in Figure 1 oi the drawings whereby to permit the bending of the rafter in the form oil. an arch.

The strip 6 may be continuously formed, 01 constructed of sections and when constructed in the manner last referred to, the abutting ends of the sections of the respective strips are disposed in staggered relation to prevent a weakening oi the rafter at any particular point throughout its length.

iilso clirly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3 oi the drawings, the innermost and outer inost strips have their ends 7 projecting beyond the ends of the intermediate strips. By constructing the ends of the rafter in this manner, the'cnds 7 are adapted to fit within inortises 8 formed along the opposite side edges of the floor sill 9 of the building.

The inner itace of the mortise 8 is inclined, as shown at 10 along a plane corresponding to the curve of the projecting ends 7 of the rafter whereljiy to provide a snug lit therebetween. By providing an interlocking fit between the projected ends of the rafter and the floor sill of the building, the use of fastening means between the rafter and the sill is eliminated.

litter the rafters have been secured at spaced intervals along the sills 9 of the building, a suitable rooting may then be secured to the outer edges of the rafter. It will be apparent from the foregoing that by construct iugz; a building in the manner indicated that the necessity of providing root supports or other obstructing "frame work in the building entirely eliminated.

After the strips have been bent to the del sired shape and arranged in superposed relation,, the some n ay be secured to each other in any suitable manner, such as for instance, nailing or the like.

.t is obvious that my invention is suscept ible to various changes and modifications in construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim, and I accordingly claim all such forms of the device to which I am entitled.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new is: V r

A. rafter for building construction comprising a series of superimposed strips, bent I to a predetermined shape and secured to each other, the inner and outermost strips projectmg beyond the ends of the intermediate str1ps,- whereby to provide an attaching means for the ends of the rafter.

V In testimony'whereof I afiix my signature.

FLAY T. SERGEE{T-' 

